Means for operating curtains.



D. M. SARKISIAN.

MEANS FOR OPERATING CURTAINS. APPLIOATION FILED JUNI: 1a, 1910.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MEANS FOR OPERATING CURTAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led June 13, 1910. Serial No. 566,470.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

Malden, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Operating Curtains, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and concise description.

My invention relates particularly to vertically moving curtains and the method and means for operating the same, and the objects of my invention are, amon other things, to accomplish the raising an lowering of the curtain in such a way that the portions at the bottom shall remain unfolded or extended while the upper part of the curtain is being folded or unfolded, and also to provide an inexpensive yet eflicient means for accomplishing this purpose.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation showing my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section showing in detail the friction devices forming a part of my improvement. Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing modifications of the friction devices.

Referring to Fig. l, -1- is the curtain; 2- the support from which the curtain is suspended and to which it is attached. (This may be a door jamb, a separate molding, rod, wooden frame or other structure.) -3- are cords for the purpose of raising and lowering the curtain; 4- a rod or bar placed at the bottom of the curtain; -5- friction devices attached to the curtain at intervals through which the cords -3- are threaded; -6- rings or pulleys through which the cord passes to the curtain; -7- represents that portion of the curtain which is folded upon itself during the operation of raising; --S- represents that portion of the curtain which hangs normally before the folding takes place.

Heretofore in the operation of raising and lowering curtains, particularly of the kind described, tension cords have been applied to the bottom of the curtain in such a way that the bottom portions have been first folded of this character are so made that the lower portions are the most ornamented or attractive and if these are first folded upon themselves the ornamented port-ion becomes concealed and oftentimes when the curtain is partially open the plain or unornamented portion is that which is unfolded and most conspicuous while the most elaborate portion is concealed by its own folds. My invention is intended to obviate this objection.

The preferred construction and operation of my improvement is as follows:

I attach rings 5 at intervals from thetop to the bottom of the curtain and in as many parallel rows as may be necessary. depending upon the width of the curtainl In my drawings I have illustrated three. The eyes -5- may be made of two rings, soldered or otherwise secured together, preferably at an angle to each other as shown in Fig. Q. These rings may be formed of a single wire or other substance as shown in Fig. 3. The cord 3- is threaded througlf these rings in such a way that it is somewhat bent and is in frictional contact with the opposite portions of the double ring.

pon applying tension to the cords -3-- all the varlous friction devices -5- grip the cords and all portions of the curtain are raised simultaneously until the upper set of friction devices reach the limit of their motion, when they permit the passage of the cord -3- through themselves. Each successive device or set of devices in the same relative position on the curtain comes to rest successively upon being drawn up to the limit of their motion, but retain their relative distance apart until this point is reached. Thus it will be seen that the lower portion of the curtain will remain unfolded until the last step of the operation of raising the whole, and if the operation of raising ceases before it is complete the lower portions will remain unfolded and exposed in their normal form.

In lowering the curtain the same operation takes place but in reverse order, that is to say, all the friction devices grip the cords and move simultaneously therewith, retaining their relative distance apart or closeness of proximity until cach side has reached the limit of its downward motion according to the extent to which the curtain is lowered, when they release the cord and this act of releasing is accomplished successively by the various sets of friction devices.

It is evident that I do not limit myself to the particular form or arrangement as specically shown, particularly as regards the form or structure of the gripping devices or the number or exact arrangement of cords, etc.A Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claimv as new herein and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. The combination of alambrequin shade, rows of friction members attached to said shade, said friction members comprising double eyes angularly disposed one to the other, said friction eyes attached to the cur- Y tain in pairs at regular intervals, a weight at the bottom of the curtain, anda plurality `of operating cords suspended from the top,

passing through and frictionally engaging the friction rings and fastened to the weight at the bottom of the curtain'.

2. In combination with a vertically movable curtain, a plurality of friction devices fastened to the curtains at their center, the free ends thereof extending from the curtain at an angle to each other, an operating cord passing through the rings or loops and en gaging frictionally therewith, and a weight" at the bottom of the curtain and the ends of the operating cords.`

DICKRAN M. SARKISIAN.

Witnesses:

W. l). HAMMOND, M. LAWSON DYER. 

